Mail-bag fastener.



S. E. CHAMBERS. MAIL BAG TASTENER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17, 1912.

1,046,970. Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

awua wtop If 5 Q 7 5- d/mmm l vHucoozo SAMUEL E. CHAMBERS, OF GLEN EASTON, WEST VIRGINIA.

MAIL-BAG FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 17, 1912.

Patented Dec. 10,1912.

Serial No. 671,648.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. CHAM- Bnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glen Easton, in the' county of Marshall and State of West Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

The invention is primarily designed to supply a closure intended chiefly for mail sacks and analogous containers for receiving matter to be made secure against being tampered with.

The invention provides a closure which not only reinforces the mouth of a mail bag but enables the same to be held open, thereby facilitating the removal of matter therefrom or the insertion of matter therein.

The invention consists of the novel features, details of construction and combination of parts, which hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the appended claim. I

Referring to the drawing, forming a part of the specification, Figure 1 is a front view of the upper portion of a mail bag provided with a fastener embodying the invention.

' Fig. 2 is a perspective view-of the parts illustrated in Fig. 1, the flap being thrown open and the mouth of the sack expanded to admit of the introduction or the removal of matter therefrom. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line oa-a: of Fig. 1.

The numeral 1 designates a bag or sack such as is commonly employed for the reception of matter to be transmitted through the mail. This bag or sack has a closing flap 2 which forms a continuation of one side thereof and which when the bag is closed is folded over the mouth or open end thereof. The closing flap 2 is reinforced by means of a metal plate 3, the latter being secured thereto in any manner, preferably by means of rivets or like fastenings. The metal plate 8 may comprise one or more members and in the event of two members being employed the flap is arranged between them. A slot 4 is formed in an end portion of the metal plate or reinforcement 3 and is intended to receive a staple 5 projecting from an end portion of a plate 6 secured to the edge portion of the opposite side or front of the bag 1. The plate 6 may be formed in a similar manner to the plate 3, that is it may consist of one or two members. When two members are employed they are arranged upon opposite portions of the front of the bag and are secured thereto by rivets or like fastenings. Both of the plates or reinforcements 2 and 6 are hinged at a point midway of their ends to admit of the mouth of the bag being expanded, as indicated in Fig. 2, whereby the introduction or the removal of matter from the bag is facilitated.

A plate or bar 7 is hinged to the end of the plate 6 remote from that provided with the staple 5. The plate or bar 7 has a slot 8 at its free end to receive the staple 5 when said plate is folded upon the plate 6. The plate or bar 7 is of one piece so that when it is folded upon the plates 2 and 6 and secured by means of a padlock 9 the two plates 2 and 6 are prevented from flexing and are held rigid. The plate 7 constitutes in effect a hasp and serves to secure the flap 2 after the same has been folded over the mouth of the sack upon the front thereof.

When the plate or hasp bar 7 is released and swung outward from the plate 6 the flap 2 is released and may be turned backward, thereby uncovering the mouth of the sack, the latter being adapted to be expanded by flexing the plates 2 and 6 outwardly, as indicated in Fig. 2, in which position matter may be easily introduced into the sack or removed therefrom. After the sack has received the matter to be transported it is made secure by folding the flap 2 over the front so that the plate 3 closes upon the plate 6, after which the hasp 7 is folded over the plate 8 and is made secure by fitting the padlock 9 to the staple 5 in the manner well understood.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have,

described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that thedevice shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claim appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

.A mail bag having a portion of its back extended to provide a closing flap, a metal plate fitted to said closing flap, a second plate secured to the edge portion of the front of the bag, both plates having a hinge joint intermediate of their ends, the plate fitted to the closing flap having a slot near one end, a staple projecting from the corresponding end of the plate applied to the front of the bag to pass through the slot of the plate attached to the closing flap, and a third plate hinged at one end to the opposite end of the plate provided With the Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the staple and having a slot at its free end to receive the staple and adapted to be made secure by means of a padlock engaged with said staple.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

SAMUEL E. CHAMBERS.

lVitnesses:

E. F. MOORE, CHAS. E. GARRIGAN.

Commissioner of Patents, 

